text: The major steps in the sulfo-EMP pathway are:
  * isomerization of sulfoquinovose to sulfofructose (catalyzed by sulfoquinovose isomerase), with transient formation of sulforhamnose;
  * phosphorylation of sulfofructose to sulfofructose-1-phosphate (catalyzed by sulfofructose kinase and using ATP as a co-factor);
  * retro-aldol cleavage of sulfofructose-1-phosphate to afford dihydroxyacetone phosphate and (S)-sulfolactaldehyde (catalyzed by sulfofructose-1-phosphate aldolase);
  * reduction of sulfolactaldehyde to (S)-2,3-dihydroxypropane-1-sulfonate (catalyzed by sulfolactaldehyde reductase and using NADH as a co-factor).
  Expression of proteins within the sulfo-EMP operon of E. coli is regulated by a transcription factor termed CsqR (formerly YihW). CsqR binds to DNA sites within the operon encoding the sulfo-EMP pathway, functioning as a repressor. SQ, SQGro  and the transiently formed intermediate sulforhamnose (but not lactose, glucose or galactose) function as derepressors of CsqR.